The Imminent Threat
Red and Chloe made their way to the headmistress’s office, their hearts pounding. Red held Eamon’s letter tightly, his hands shaking with worry. They stepped through the door and into the office, finding Uma sitting behind her desk, reading it.
Red took a deep breath and began. “Uma, I’ve… I’ve received some disturbing news from Wonderland. I… I get letters from there regularly, and…”
She trailed off, her thoughts jumbled in panic. Chloe placed a calming hand on her shoulder and took over. “Red’s been receiving news from his friends there, and this letter is particularly disturbing.”
Red nodded, gathering courage. “My mother… the queen… she’s having a tunnel dug to reach Auradon. They’re halfway there already.”
Uma frowned at her words. She reached out to take the letter Red handed her. "Let me see."
Uma read the letter quickly, her expression hardening as she realized the gravity of the situation. Without wasting any time, she stood up. "Come with me. We need to talk to the fairy godmother about this, immediately."
They followed Uma through the halls of the school to the dean's office. Fay, who was close to the Charming family, smiled warmly as she saw Chloe enter her office.
"Chloe, what a pleasant surprise!" Fay exclaimed, a smile on her lips. But seeing everyone's serious faces, her smile quickly faded. "What's going on?"
Wordlessly, Uma handed Red's envelope to the fairy godmother, who took it and read it carefully. As she skimmed the lines, her brow furrowed deeper and deeper. The tension in the room was palpable. Chloe squeezed Red's hand, seeking contact to reassure herself and soothe Red.
When Fay finished reading, she nodded gravely. "I'll speak to King Ben immediately. Wait here, I'll keep you informed."
*****
The good fairy walked through the halls of Auradon, reaching the young king's office. She knocked, and waited to hear Ben invite her in before going through the door.
Fay entered and handed him the letter. "Your Majesty, this is from the mail of the Queen of Hearts' daughter."
Ben took the letter and read it. He quickly understood what it was about. "We must act. Would your magic be strong enough to block the rabbit hole even more?"
Fay shook her head, apologetic. "No, my magic would slow them down, but if they keep digging on the other side, they will inevitably come out. It will just take longer."
Ben nodded, thinking quickly. " Do it anyway. We must buy time to prepare for the queen and her army. How much time do you think you can buy us?"
Fay thought for a moment. “Maybe a week, two at the most, depending on how fast they dig. It’s not much, but every day counts.”
Ben nodded. “Do what you can, Fay. We’ll prepare accordingly.”
*****
At the rabbit hole, Red and Chloe were there to witness the enchantment. Red held Chloe's hand tightly, her thoughts chaotic. She couldn't help but think of Maddox and her mother's threat.
Chloe, sensing Red's worry, squeezed his hand gently. "It's going to be okay, sweetie. I'm here."
Fay stood in front of the entrance to the burrow, her hands raised as she began to cast the protective enchantment. Sparks of blue and silver magic shot from her wand, forming a protective barrier around the burrow's opening. "Bibidi bobidi boo," she whispered as she finished the spell.
The barrier flickered briefly before fading into invisibility, but Red knew it was there. Fay turned to them, a weak but reassuring smile on her lips. "This spell will slow them down, and buy us the time we need to prepare and not be surprised." Thanks for warning us, Red."
Red nodded, tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Fay."
Chloe put a comforting arm around Red. "You hear that, Red? We'll get ready. We'll be ready."
Red felt a little comfort from Chloe's comforting words and Fay's plight. Even though her mother's threat still loomed over her, she knew she wasn't alone. Not anymore.